Quarantine case at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital not Ebola

Hospital's infectious diseases department says precautions had to be taken even if chance of Ebola was slim

The Ebola virus, above, has caused panic in West Africa where it has claimed more than 1,400 lives. North American hospitals are also being cautious, placing people under quarantine who have travelled to the region and are exhibiting symptoms of the illness. (Cynthia Goldsmith/CDC/Handout via Reuters)

The patient had a fever after recently returning from a trip to West Africa.

The hospital issued a statement on Saturday morning saying that it had quarantined the patient as a precaution even though the chances of the person actually having Ebola were quite slim.

Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital quarantined a person on Saturday after they came back from West Africa exhibiting some symptoms of Ebola. (Radio-Canada)

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Dr. Karl Weiss, chief of the hospital’s infectious diseases department, said the patient’s tests were run through a specialized lab in Winnipeg.

"You can't take any chance, so this is what happened with someone who just returned from Guinea within the last 21 days, came to the hospital with fever and other general symptoms — non-specific symptoms — and because of that we have no choice but to put in place a certain protocol and make sure," Weiss said.

He would not reveal any details about the patient, citing doctor-patient confidentiality.

Public health officials said they are following the possible cases of Ebola in Quebec very closely and that they have asked the entire health care network to be vigilant in identifying signs of the viral infection.

The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa has so far killed 1,427 people, according to the World Health Organization.